


An Ever-fixed Mark

by Spacecadet72



Series: All The World's A Stage [2]
Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23557180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: High school teachers, Benoit and Marta, perform a scene from Much Ado About Nothing for the second time, but Benoit has some changes to make to the script.
Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera
Series: All The World's A Stage [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695487
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	An Ever-fixed Mark

**Author's Note:**

> This is a follow up to my story for Day 3 of Cablanca Week. This idea came to me today and I couldn't help but write it out.
> 
> Title comes from Shakespeare's Sonnet 116.

Marta sat on the auditorium stage next to Benoit as they waited for the last few stragglers to wander into the auditorium for Drama class. For the second year in a row, her planning period was the same period as Benoit’s Drama class, which allowed her to be his scene partner for occasional demonstrations. She suspected Harlan had a hand in that, but hadn’t been able to confirm anything.

She was looking forward to today’s scene, as it was the same one that had brought them together. Much Ado About Nothing, act 4 scene 1 starting with line 254. A year ago, they had performed this scene, and after she had confessed her love as Beatrice to Benedick, Benoit had kissed her, an unplanned action on both their parts.

It had led them both to confess their love to the other for real and they had been dating for almost a year. Performing this again felt like an anniversary of sorts, and she had been happy when he had suggested it.

Apparently, it had been the students’ idea, who were very supportive of their relationship, but she suspected that Benoit was more involved than he let on.

The past year had been one of the best she’d had in a long time. Not that she hadn’t been happy before, but being with Benoit added so much to her happiness. They had started discussing marriage a few months ago, and it had become a matter of when, rather than if. But she wasn’t worried about when that was going to happen. They were happy, and in love and would move forward when the time was right.

Benoit glanced at his watch, gave Marta a smile, and moved to stand on the stage. “Alright, everyone, let’s get started.”

Marta followed his lead, and went to stand in the middle of the stage, where she knew he would want her for the scene.

“Please welcome again Ms. Cabrera, who has been gracious enough to be my scene partner for this demonstration,” Benoit said, gesturing towards her with his arm.

The class clapped politely, but there were several wide grins among the students.

“We’ll be starting in act 4, scene 1, line 254,” he said, before turning to Marta and delivering his first line. They had actually had time to rehearse this time around, so Marta felt much more confident about her acting than she had last time. She also didn’t have to worry about performing a romantic scene with a colleague who she had what she had thought were unrequited feelings for.

They moved through the scene, and as happened every time, she was taken aback by the look in his eyes when he turned to her and said, “I do love nothing in the world so well as you. Is not that strange?”

She knew how he felt now, and knew that he truly loved her more than anything, and hearing him declare it--no matter that it was words from a play--warmed her heart.

They continued through the scene and soon they were standing close to each other, and it was almost her turn to confess her love to him. They had decided against a kiss in this version, and while she couldn’t regret what had happened last time, she was fine with limiting their PDA at work.

“I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest,” she said, fighting back a smile, when it was her line. She loved this man so much it felt some days like it might burst out of her.

She waited for him to say his next line, but instead, he said, “I was hoping you would say that,” with a chuckle.

She looked up at him with confusion. He knew she was going to say that. It was in the script. But what he had just said wasn’t and she couldn’t account for his changing the line.

He got down on one knee in front of her, and it felt like she couldn’t breathe. Her hands flew to her mouth. He couldn’t possibly be doing what it looked like he was doing.

“Marta Cabrera,” he said, a soft smile on his face, “A little over a year ago, we performed this scene on this stage and it led to us, and what has been the happiest year of my life. I love you with all that I am, and want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you have made me.” He looked up at her with tears in his eyes, his voice wavering slightly. “Will you marry me?” he asked as he pulled a ring box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a sparkling diamond ring.

Fighting back tears of her own, and finding it difficult to speak, she simply nodded and launched herself at him. Cheers erupted from the students, and she ignored them while she pulled her emotions together in his arms. After she felt able to speak again, Marta pulled back. “Yes, yes I will marry you.”

Benoit leaned in to kiss her quickly, keeping it brief for the sake of their audience.

Marta turned to look at the seniors who were all grinning widely and talking among themselves, and couldn’t help her happy laughter.

She looked back at Benoit, whose smile was stretched wide and held out her left hand. He slid the ring on her ring finger and she paused a moment to admire it, before looking back up at him. “We’re getting married,” she said, as if they hadn’t already known this was a foregone conclusion.

He nodded, his beautiful blue eyes full of love. “We’re getting married.”

* * *

Later, after class had ended and the last student had left, their congratulations very enthusiastic and very sweet, Marta turned to Benoit.

“How long have you been planning this?” she asked, leaning into him.

“It has evolved some, but I have been wanting to ask you to marry me since the beginning of the school year,” he said with a soft smile.

Marta eyebrows raised. It was late January. “That’s a long time.”

Benoit shrugged. “I wanted it to be perfect, and you’re worth the wait.”

Marta melted a little at that, and pushed up to kiss him properly now that they were alone. He pulled her in close and she clung to him tightly as the kiss deepened. She pulled back after several moments, as she remembered that they were still at work, and reality pushed its way into her mind.

“We should probably tell Harlan,” she said with a smile. The last time they had talked to him after performing this scene, he had just laughed and congratulated them before asking what had taken them so long.

Benoit grinning and waved a hand. “Oh, he knows. I told him my plan in advance.”

Marta shook her head. “I should have known he was in on this. Did the students know?”

“I didn’t want it getting out and having that many people knowing the plan would jeopardize it’s secrecy, but I think a couple of them suspected,” he said, with a shake of his head.

Marta caught sight of her ring again, and it brought it all rushing back. They were getting _married._ “I love you so much.”

“I do love nothing in the world so well as you,” he recited, and she couldn’t help the smile pulling at her lips. “And it’s not strange at all,” he murmured before leaning down to kiss her again.


End file.
